6 years ago I took the ultimate bath in the Gulf of Mexico. Healing? To say the least. Last night I dreampt I was on a boat. It looked like an enlarged version of those floating food carts in Thailand. Down the center were enclosed shops , salons and galleries. Along the perimeter were open boardwalks, one side running parallel to a wide and white capped sapphire ocean swelling under a mango sky. On the other side the boat was open to an island neighborhood full of brownstones and cottages tucked into towering, exotic palms fronds, bamboo shoots and cooling succulents on steroids. After getting a makeover I thought I wanted by Baby Huey I shook my head to return to myself as I began to realize I wasn’t who or where I wanted to be. The boat lurched and started moving forward from the slip; we were leaving. A man flaunting his addiction to a package of pastry was the final push. I don’t wanna be here. I started running forward as the boat floated sideways away from the island; hurdling counter tops and guardrails yelling for someone to make it stop, let me out, let me off. No one would listen so I vaulted myself up and over landing on my feet in the street below. I had no plan, no bags, no money and yet felt elated, calm, free. Walking down a side street past small, colorful cottages I saw a man on a scooter riding to work, a beautiful woman, creatively dressed, an empty net bag slung over her shoulder, striding confidently towards the open market. At my feet were two different black and white feathers from birds I’d never seen letting me know I’d found my way.~xo

…I've got something for you that I was just reading in the tennis, and I double took as I read this quote and thought this is exactly what you do, too!

It was Novak Djokovic, of all things, talking after his Wimbledon win, about the difficult phase he's been through of late professionally and personally. He wrote an open letter about it, and he said this: “I have always respected people that share their most vulnerable moments as their turning points in finding true strength that inspires so many people.”

It doesn't matter what we do, all of us are human… Great quote, nice to see so many different people actually doing that, including you, Ms E.! 🙂

“I was vulnerable so many times in the last few years. And I am still vulnerable. I am not ashamed of it. In contrary, it makes me more true to myself and others. It allows me to get closer to people. It allows me to ‘dig deep’ and analyze what is truly happening inside of me. When I find that out, I am able to create a strategy to overcome this occurring issue and move on as a stronger, wiser, happier human being.”

Thanks for sharing the quote. I agree there’s a direct correlation between vulnerability and authenticity. Yesterday I joined a group video conference on removing blocks to motivation ( I’m trying new things. It was great.). I realized how much I struggle to talk about myself and 100% realize why (Don’t pretty much covers the reasons, haha). The trick is figuring out how to create enough safe places and safe relationships where we can be ourselves. I hope to spend less time in armor as I get older.